Roasted Broccoli

We love broccoli in this house and this was an instant favorite.

4 to 5 pounds broccoli
4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
EVOO
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons lemon zest
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted (put pine nuts in a small skillet and toast on the stove)
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons julienned fresh basil leaves (about 12 leaves)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Cut the broccoli florets from the thick stalks, leaving an inch or two of stalk attached to the florets, discarding the rest of the stalks. Cut the larger pieces through the base of the head with a small knife, pulling the florets apart (you can skip all of this by using the huge bag of broccoli from Costco). You should have about 8 cups of florets. Place the broccoli florets on a sheet pan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Toss the garlic on the broccoli and drizzle with 5 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until crisp-tender and the tips of some of the florets are browned.

Remove the broccoli from the oven and immediately toss with 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, the lemon zest, lemon juice, pine nuts, Parmesan, and basil. Serve hot.

 

Recipe from the Food Network.

Boston Baked Beans

2 (16 ounce) packages dried navy beans
4 teaspoons salt
3/4 cup dark molasses
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon pepper
1 large onion
4 -6 whole cloves
1 meaty ham bone

Directions:

1 Prepare beans: Rinse well and discard any stones or shriveled beans.
2 Soak beans in water in a 5 quart Dutch oven, using the overnight or quick soak method.
3 Overnight Method: Cover each cup of dried beans with 3 cups of water; let stand for a minimum of 12 hours.
4 Quick Soak Method: Add beans to boiling water, allowing 3 cups of water for each cup of beans, bring back to the boil and boil for 2 minutes; remove from heat, cover and leave for an hour, then cook in same water.
5 Bring mixture to a boil, add salt, reduce heat, cover and simmer for an hour.
6 Stir in molasses and next 3 ingredients.
7 Stud the onion with the cloves; tuck onion & ham bone (or salt pork) into the beans.
8 Cover and bake in a 250F oven for about 7 hours; check & stir about once an hour.
9 Add more water to keep beans moist but not too wet OR remove lid to thicken mixture through evaporation; it all depends on your preference for thick or runny!
10 Discard cloves, chop onion and return to mixture.
11 Remove meat from ham bone (or cut salt pork into pieces, discarding fat) and return to mixture.

12 Add salt to taste.

Garlic Red Mashed Potatoes

4 lbs small red potatoes
cloves of garlic to taste (I would use at least 4)
2 cubes butter
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sour cream
salt and pepper to taste
fresh chives

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and garlic. Boil until tender, but still a little firm (10-15 minutes). Drain.

Whip/mash potatoes with remaining ingredients until smooth and creamy.

A. Maze. Ing.

Smashed Salt and Vinegar Potatoes

Wait for it. Wait for it.

I saw these on TV and couldn't locate the recipe online so I tried to duplicate it. They turned out WONDERFUL!!! So here is what I did.

Baby potatoes (about 1-2 inches in size, I used the mixed bag of red, yellow and purple potatoes from Costco)
4 quarts Water
2-2 1/2 cups Iodized Salt
Pepper
Olive Oil
Malt Vinegar

Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Add 2 1/2 cups (yes, I said CUPS) of salt and potatoes (about 4 lbs). Boil about 20-30 minutes until tender.

Drain potatoes and allow potatoes to dry out on a towel for about 10 minutes or more.

Prepare a large jelly roll pan by coating with about 1/2 cup of Olive Oil.

Preheat oven to 500 degree and move rack to middle/top position (not the very top and not the very middle)

Place potatoes in oil and smash with the bottom of a measuring cup or glass until they are about 1/2 inch thick (they will break open obviously, see photo). Spread them out so they aren't touching (I did 2 pans worth). Drizzle or brush malt vinegar over potatoes. (I used about 3 TB). Sprinkle with pepper.

Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and brush/drizzle with vinegar again.

ENJOY!!

French Fries

I've finally found the recipe for the perfect french fry.

Here ya go.

4 cups warm water
2/3 cup sugar
about 6 medium russet potatoes cut to desired fries
6 cups canola or vegetable oil
salt

In a large bowl dissolve sugar  in warm water. Once it's dissolved, add ice to make water cold. Cut your potatoes and put them in the ice water. Soak at least 15 minutes while you prepare your oil.

Bring oil to 375 degrees. Remove potatoes from water to a clean kitchen towel and pat dry. Add about half or 1/3 of the potatoes to the oil and blanch for about 2 minutes. Remove from oil to paper towels. Let sit until room temperature. When you're about 10 minutes out from dinner, heat up the oil again to 375 and cook and additional 4 minutes (until golden brown).

TIP: Make sure your oil is back up to 375 before doing subsequent batches.
TIP: You can freeze after the blanch stage for future use.

Salt and enjoy!

Naan

1 TB active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
1 TB white sugar

1/4 cup white sugar
3 TB milk
1 egg, beaten
2 tsp salt
4 1/2 cup bread flour
1/2 tsp baking soda

2-4 tsp garlic
1/2 cup butter, melted

In your mixer bowl, proof yeast in 1 cup warm water with 1 TB sugar (about 10-12 minutes).

Stir in sugar, milk, egg, salt, soda and 4 cups flour. Knead for about 5-8 minutes. Add the additional 1/2 flour if dough is too sticky. Place dough in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover with damp towel and let rise about an hour, until doubled in bulk.

Punch dough down. Pinch off golf ball size balls. Roll and place on a tray at least an inch apart. Cover and let rise about 30 minutes or until doubled in size.

Stir garlic into melted butter and let sit for at least 20 minutes before using.

Turn on your grill. (I turn on high to heat it up, then I cook the naan between low and medium). Take the dough outside and roll balls as flat as you can and place on grill. Grill for about 2-3 minutes brushing with garlic butter. Flip and butter other side cooking for another 2-5 minutes.

You want the naan to remain whitish in color with only the parts touching the grill to be brown.

I promise I'll post pics the next time I make this!!!

Frog Eye Salad

sorry, no pretty photos because i ATE it too fast.

1 (16oz) package Acini De Pepe pasta
1 TB vegetable oil
2 1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
2 TB flour
1 3/4 cup pineapple juice
2 eggs, beaten
1 TB lemon juice
3 (11oz) cans mandarin oranges, drained
2 (20oz) cans pineapple chunks, drained (use the juice for the pineapple juice)
1 (20oz) can crushed pineapple, drained (if you need a little more juice, you can top it off with this)
1 (8oz) carton cool whip
1 cup mini marshmallows, optional
1 cup coconut, optional

Cook pasta according to package directions. (the 2 tsp salt and 1 TB oil go in the water with the pasta to prevent it from getting sticky). Drain and rinse with water. Drain again and bring to room temperature.

While pasta is boiling, combine sugar, flour, 1/2 tsp salt. Gradually stir in pineapple juice and eggs. Cook over moderate heat stirring until thickened. Add lemon juice. Cool to room temperature.

Combine pasta with egg mixture lightly and refrigerate overnight in air tight container.

Add remaining ingredients. Mix lightly but thoroughly. Refrigerate until chilled in air tight container.(I usually mix all the fruit together in another container and put that in the fridge too, so I don't have to wait for it to chill again, but it does taste better after it sits for a few hours).

Consume within one week.

Sweet Potato Bake

INGREDIENTS
3 1/2 cups mashed sweet potatoes
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup orange juice
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease one 2 quart casserole dish.
In a large bowl, blend together the sweet potatoes, milk, orange juice, eggs, vanilla, sugar, salt, butter, nutmeg and cinnamon. Pour into prepared casserole dish.
Mix together the 1/4 cup butter, brown sugar, flour and pecans; sprinkle over sweet potato mixture.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 minutes

Boston Baked Beans

4 cups dried navy beans
8 cups water
1 tablespoon salt
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 pound salt pork, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup catsup
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp dry mustard

1. Rinse and sort beans. Place beans, water, salt, onion and pork in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 10 hours or until beans are tender.
2. Drain beans, reserving 2 cups of the liquid. Return beans to cooking pot. In bowl combine reserved liquid with remaining ingredients. Pour over beans and stir to blend. Cover and cook on low for 2 hours.

Makes 10-12 servings.